61. PRAYER CORNER

Confession is a time for opening our hearts to God, perhaps with the help of another. In this way the Christian can obtain cleansing and forgiveness.    PLAN

62. WINDOWS

The jewel coloured stained glass windows are a feature of this room. They are evocative of the Passion, with symbols of the rooster, the scourging, the crown of thorns, the nails, dice and cloak, the cross and sponge. Although unsigned, they are believed to also be the work of Martin Roestenburg, commissioned along with several other windows in the 1950s.

63. PAINTING

This painting hangs on the East wall of the Reconciliation Room. It shows the return of the prodigal son to the waiting Father – a vivid picture of the sinner returning to his/her loving God.    

64. NORTH WEST ASPECT

This view of the Cathedral is almost identical to the South West view we looked at earlier. The remaining Stations of the Cross are found on these walls.

65. WEST WALL

Finally we turn to look at the West wall, where the stunning Resurrection window soars up above the entryway, and symbolically, above the baptistry. It was made for the early Church of Our Lady of the Rosary by Dutch immigrant artist Martin Roestenburg who lived and worked in Taihape.    

66. RESURRECTION WINDOW

The window shows the resurrected Christ in brilliant colours, especially in the afternoon sun. The steeple-like effect of this central window and bold cross above is a Hamilton landmark, and it remains firmly in place in the remodelled Cathedral, offering beauty and a sense of history. This completes our tour of this Cathedral. Now for a little history ...

67. ORIGINAL WOODEN CHURCH

In 1874 a young Irish priest, Father John Golden, arrived in Hamilton. During his ministry of six and a half years, he built a wooden church in Clyde Street, Hamilton. The church was opened and blessed in 1877.

68. FIRST CHURCH ON PRESENT SITE

A more commodious Church of Our Lady of the Rosary was built on the present site in Grey Street, and opened in 1912. There were about 250 Catholics in Hamilton at this time, but the new church would seat 800 people! Sadly, by the mid 1960s this church became structurally unsound and was demolished in 1974.

69. SECOND CHURCH ON PRESENT SITE

A sound, modern brick church was opened on the site in 1975. It became a Cathedral just a few years later in 1980. Since then, this second church has been developed and extended while still retaining its character and links with the past.